Now Simon Cowell and producers must return to the drawing board to find a replacement for L.A. Reid, who announced last week he will not return for the show's third season. So who should replace him? We asked The X Factor's Reid, Cowell and co-host Mario Lopez that very question backstage after Thursday's finale.

L.A.'s pick: "I think Rihanna should fill my spot so I'll have a reason to watch."

Mario's pick: "I love Demi and Britney, but if they want to add a female as opposed to getting a man, I've been campaigning for my girl Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas. I think she'd be awesome. We've been friends a long time and she's so talented and I think she'd be an awesome judge/mentor. She's cool and hip and I think the kids would really respond to her and like her."

Simon's pick: "I'm firing them all. I'm going to be the only judge next year. I'll just [mentor] the whole lot."